Gwen Berry
Everyone received an unexpected treat during the recent Quilt Festival, when Rozee Bird brought over her beautiful horse, Miss Madeira, and gave a demonstration. The chestnut mare gleamed in the sun as she circled first in one direction, then the other, backed up and came forward, with Rozee holding the lead nearby. Miss Madeira has breeding to thank for her elegant looks – she’s pure Arab, and her grandfather is the famous stallion, Khemosabe – but her vitality and shine come from being well cared for and getting a lot of grooming attention.
When Rozee first got her, Miss Madeira was a raw, young horse. Rozee has worked intensively with her for several years. She’s done all her own training, using techniques taught by Clinton Anderson and relying on her extensive personal experience. At a gathering where Mr. Anderson rated the results of amateur trainers, he gave Rozee and Miss Madeira an A+. The two are so closely bonded that Rozee rides without a bridle (except in situations like parades) and often works Miss Madeira “at liberty” (with no restraints). When they run together, the horse follows along with Rozee the way a dog would. Rozee gives her cues and commands mainly with body language and sometimes voice commands.
Rozee has been riding since she was three and training horses for most of her life. She does endurance and dressage riding, and she has worked extensively with kids and horses for many years.
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